Comprehensive Energy and Sustainability Policy

For

Local Governments and Institutions

Version 4.10

Contents

1. Purpose
2. Vision
3. Mission
4. Types of Policy and Programs
5. Approach
5.1. Data Collection and Analysis
5.1.1. GHG Inventory:
5.1.2 GHG Protocol
6. Action Plan
6.1. Plan Development
6.2. Implementation Planning
7. Energy and Sustainability Strategies
7.1. Building Performance-Energy and Water Efficiency
7.1.1. Approach to Improving Efficiency in Government and non-Government facilities
7.2. Land use Planning
6.3 Transportation
7.4 Material Management and Solid Waste
7.5. Water/Wastewater
7.6. Heat Island-Green Space:
7.7. Renewable Energy
7.7.1. Benefits of Renewable Energy
7.7.2. Implementing On-site Renewable Energy Projects
7.8. Work Force Development, Education, and Outreach
7.8.1. Clean Energy Workforce Development:
7.9. Education and Outreach:
7.10. Economics, Health, and Air Quality
7.11. Sustainable Food, Material and Purchasing

Comprehensive Energy and Sustainability Policy
For
Local Governments and Institutions

1. Purpose

Atlantic Energy and Engineering has prepared this document to provide local governments and institutions with Long-Range Comprehensive Energy and Sustainability Policy Planning.

This Plan has the objectives of helping local government and institutions take actions to reduce energy consumption, improve health and environment, create economic opportunities within its jurisdictions, and lead by example regional initiatives.

2. Vision

To develop optimum energy and sustainability policies and to implement programs to reduce energy consumption and Greenhouse Gases GHG emissions, achieve economic development goals, create and retain jobs, improve air and water quality and public health.

3. Mission

Implementing the plan will achieve the following objectives:
• Developing a Long Range Comprehensive Actions for Energy and Sustainability
• Developing GHGs Inventory
• Identifying and evaluating sustainability policy and program options
• Designing and implementing programs for community-wide, as well as for specific governments or institution
• Identifying incentives, funding sources, and financing vehicles
• Leading by Example in government operations
• Meeting the Governor’s Challenge in Georgia
• Collaborate with other local and regional entities on the vision of energy and sustainability strategic planning
• Engaging stakeholders
• Determining, monitoring, and tracking trends and results.

4. Types of Policy and Programs

• Community-wide programs, including but not limited to the following entities:
Chamber of Commerce
Development Authority
School District
Local municipalities
Institutions of Higher Education
Government Representatives

• Government specific policies and programs

These programs address incentives for residential, commercial, institutional, industrial and agricultural, and undertake various aspects of sustainability including energy, water, transportation, recycling and waste management, land use, and material management.

The Plan shall identify:
• Energy and water efficiency opportunities in:
o Energy and water Efficiency in Government Operations and Facilities
o Energy and water Efficiency in Non-Governmental Buildings
o Residential and Commercial Energy Efficiency
o Developing Energy Efficiency Programs with Utilities and Other Sponsors
• Heat Islands-Trees and Green Spaces
• Land Use and Smart Growth
• Renewable Energy opportunities
• Transportation
• Water and Energy Efficiency-Water Regional Planning
• Waste Management
• Local/Sustainable Food
• Purchasing and Material Management
• Education, Outreach, and Public Involvement
The plan shall address current practices and policies, compare internal and external policies, and shall make recommendations to improve, change, or create measures and policies that will provide a path forward for local governments and institutions to achieve its long term energy and sustainability vision and objectives.
The plan shall provide recommendations for options and ranges of mandatory or voluntary policies that will take into consideration incentives, funding, and reconciliation of social; economical; and environmental factors.

5. Approach

5.1. Data Collection and Analysis

5.1.1. GHG Inventory:

A greenhouse gas inventory is an accounting of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted to or removed from the atmosphere over a period of time. Policy makers use inventories to establish a baseline for tracking emission trends, developing mitigation strategies and policies, and assessing progress. An inventory is the first step taken by entities to reduce GHG emissions. The inventory will:
• Identify the greatest sources of GHG emissions within the jurisdiction and effect/impact of other regional sources
• Understand emission trends
• Quantify the benefits of activities that reduce emissions
• Establish a basis for developing action plan and policies
• Track progress in reducing emissions
• Set goals and targets for future reductions
By Estimating GHG emissions, the following shall be developed:
• Create an energy and emissions baseline as it will be validated
• Assess the relative contributions of emission sources
• Create an inform mitigation strategy based on this information
• Monitor progress
• Inform the development of an energy and sustainability action plan.

5.1.2 GHG Protocol

The Plan shall use GHG inventory protocols that have been developed and accepted by International, National, and Local agencies and organizations:

• World Business Council for Sustainable Development and the World Resources Institute (WRI/WBCSD)

• California Air Resources Board, Regulation for the Mandatory Reporting of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and California Greenhouse Gas Inventory (1990-2004).

• California Climate Action Registry, General Reporting Protocol and various industry-specific protocols.

• ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability, International Local Government GHG Emissions Analysis Protocol.

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 14064-1, Specification with guidance at the organization level for quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals.

• The Climate Registry, General Reporting Protocol.

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leaders Greenhouse Gas Inventory Guidance

The following sources shall be consulted in creating and verifying the GHG inventory, and shall be compared to state and regional inventories that have been developed or those available through national databases (EPA, ICLEI, the City of Atlanta, etc.):

• Government operations inventories include emissions from all of the operations that a local government owns or controls. Common sectors in a government operations inventory include local government buildings and other facilities, streetlights and traffic signals, and water delivery facilities. After completing a government operations inventory, the local government can lead by example by pursuing mitigation efforts that illustrate the possibilities of mitigation actions to the community.
• Community-level inventories include emissions from all community activities within the local government's jurisdiction, including emissions from all sectors in that community, such as energy, transportation, agricultural, industrial, and waste. A community-wide inventory is a useful planning tool in developing mitigation actions for the entire community.
• Regional inventories include emissions from multiple communities. Local governments may join with other communities in the area to create a regional inventory. This option can be valuable for small communities that may not have the capacity or resources to conduct inventories individually.
The following steps shall apply in conducting the GHG Inventory:

To optimize results and resources for local governments or institutions, the plan shall identify the most significant GHG emissions for the inventory and energy audit purposes and propose solutions that will yield the highest benefits.

The following issues shall be evaluated:

Scope: Based on screening, it will be evaluated whether to set goals for all six basic greenhouse gases or a subset of them (such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide). Goals may be set for the entire economy of a jurisdiction, a subset of the economy, or particular sectors including but not limited to: Electricity, Natural Gas, Transportation Fuels, Sewage/Water Treatment, Municipal Waste, Refrigerant, and Air Travels.

Time frame: Emissions goals may be short-term (e.g., two to five years out), mid-term (e.g., 20–30 years), or long-term (e.g., 40–50 years). The goals’ time frame will influence the range of actions and policy options used to achieve them. A state or locality may set a long-term goal but also have short-term targets that serve as incremental steps toward that goal. This approach may allow to test and demonstrate the viability of a range of policy options for reducing emissions while working toward longer-term goals.

Base year: The choice of a base year from which to compare emission reduction goals is very important, although this may be limited by data availability. Ideally the base year should be “typical,” in the sense that emissions during that year were not influenced by unusual conditions such as extremely high or low economic growth, abnormal weather, or other outliers.

Criteria: States and localities have a range of criteria to choose from in setting their emissions goals. A goal may be based on established criteria, such as aiming to reduce emissions by 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 in order to stabilize atmospheric concentrations at levels that avoid dangerous impacts. Alternatively, goals and baseline years may be established to be consistent with existing targets, such as those of the U.S. Council of Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement or another established international, national, or regional agreement. Goals also may be designed to be pragmatic, based on technical and economic feasibility; this is often the case for short-term goals.

6. Action Plan

The Plan will address the following:
• Regional and local risks and vulnerabilities
• Baseline emissions
• Goals and targets including meeting the Governor’s Challenge Program
• Identification and screening of mitigation options
• Estimated results of mitigation actions
• Recommendations and strategy for implementation

6.1. Plan Development

In developing the Action Plan, the following shall be considered:

6.2. Implementation Planning

By understanding the extent to which policies and programs achieve various benefits, The Action Plan’s outcome shall:
• Demonstrate how GHG mitigation and clean energy policies and programs can help achieve multiple energy, environmental, and economic benefits in a cost-effective way
• Design or select options that offer greater energy, environmental, and economic benefits
• Identify opportunities where policies and programs can be used to support energy system, environmental, and/or economic development planning strategies within the local jurisdiction
• Build support for sustainability and clean energy policies and programs

7. Energy and Sustainability Strategies

7.1. Building Performance-Energy and Water Efficiency

Energy used by commercial and industrial buildings in the United States is responsible for nearly 48 percent of our national emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs). Local governments can lead by example and achieve substantial energy cost savings across their facilities, demonstrate energy and environmental leadership, and raise public awareness of the benefits of energy efficiency to reduce GHG emissions.

State and local government agencies spend more than $10 billion a year on energy to provide public services and meet constituent needs. Local governments grapple with tightening budgets, but nearly one-third of the energy used to run typical government buildings can be conserved.

7.1.1. Approach to Improving Efficiency in Government and non-Government facilities

Benchmark Building Performance: The Plan shall provide ways to increase building energy efficiency by 10, 20, and 30 percent through effective energy management practices that involve assessing energy performance, setting energy-savings goals, and regularly evaluating progress. The Plan will utilize state of the art tools to:
• Identify under-performing buildings to target for energy efficiency improvements.
• Establish baselines to set goals and measure progress for energy efficiency improvement projects over time.
• Propose passive improvements including building lighting optimize heat and air systems, enveloping and roofing, etc. More profound improvements will also be evaluated including renewable energy to meet far reaching energy saving goals.
• Monitor energy efficiency improvements compared to a baseline and track reductions in GHGs.
• Document reductions in energy use, GHG emissions, water use, and costs for an individual building or an entire portfolio.
• Apply the principles of various sustainability programs including the Governor’s Challenge program, peach program, and other acclaimed programs (LEED).

Consider Voluntary Programs and Regulatory Policies: The Plan shall recommend both required policy measures and voluntary campaigns, designed to protect the environment and lower energy costs, by adopting energy efficiency policies that reduce energy use in buildings.

Implement Energy Efficiency Purchasing: Products that have earned the ENERGY STAR label help local governments save energy and money without sacrificing performance. By using less energy, these products also help reduce GHG emissions. The plan shall recommend procurement policies and resources to implement energy efficiency purchasing to reduce costs and energy.

Evaluate Traffic and Street Lights: Provide inventory for traffic and street lights, beacons, and traffic signals, and a proposed plan to replace with energy efficient traffic lighting consistent with traffic and transportation standards, Dept. of Transportation requirements and local codes ordinances.

7.2. Land use Planning

Land use planning plays a significant role in local government activities to mitigate greenhouse gases (GHGs). The Plan shall evaluate strategies linked to land use planning:
• Growth of vehicle: related GHG emissions are influenced by transportation infrastructure.
• Compact development protects ecologically valuable open space and requires less energy and materials to build and operate.
• Reducing GHG emissions from deforestation requires policies to protect woodlands and other valuable carbon sinks.
• Land use planning is critical in enabling communities to adapt to more frequent extreme weather conditions including flood risks and floodplain management.
“Smart growth” is a term that covers a range of development and conservation strategies that help protect the natural environment and make communities more attractive, economically stronger, and more socially diverse. Land use planning is an essential part of any smart growth strategy, and it is especially important to mitigate GHG emissions and conserve energy.
The following aspects will be evaluated:
• If neighborhoods were designed to make walking, biking, and public transit safe and convenient, many car trips could be avoided.
• Studies of residential developments have found that high-density development emits less than half as much GHG per capita as low-density development.
The Plan shall evaluate mitigation and adaptation strategies to improve and optimize land use activities for sustainable planning:
• Zoning and other land use laws can be used to encourage compact, mixed-use, and walkable development.
• Brownfield redevelopment activities can both preserve open space and minimize additional infrastructure costs.
• Offering smarter transportation choices can be a cost-effective way to reduce emissions and minimize the costs associated with building additional roads
Reach out and collaboration with key departments that can support smart growth initiatives includes:
• Housing
• Public health
• Public works
• School boards
• Transportation

7.3 Transportation

The transportation sector is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in the United States. It is responsible for an estimated 29 percent of national increase in total U.S. emissions since 1990.
Transportation sources of GHG emissions will be identified including cars and light trucks, heavy trucks and buses, farm and construction machines, lawn and garden equipment, engines, aircraft, and locomotives.
The Plan shall recommend strategies to address GHGs from the transportation sector, in the following three major options:
• Fuels: Lower GHG fuels
• Vehicles: Efficient cars
• Travel Activity (e.g., vehicle miles traveled, or VMT)
The plan shall provide Programs targeted at government fleets (lead by example), residents (promote efficient vehicle purchases), or commercial or corporate fleets through partnerships.
Additional transportation control measures (TCMs)–strategies that reduce the demand for travel and increase the efficiency of travel that does occur–include:
• Public transportation improvements
• Incentives to encourage bicycling and walking
• Expanded commuter choices
• Workplace flexibility to reduce commuting
• Idle reduction infrastructure, education, and requirements
• Value pricing

7.4 Material Management and Solid Waste

Forty percent of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are linked to use of material goods and their disposal. Resource conservation and good end-of-life materials management offer important opportunities to reduce national GHG emissions.
The plan shall provide strategies for source conservation, reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and energy recovery. Resource conservation avoids GHG emissions from common waste management pathways, including:
• Emissions from combustion. Waste incineration produces emissions of CO2 and nitrous oxide, a GHG that is 310 times as potent as CO2.
• Emissions from transportation. Transporting waste to disposal sites produces GHG emissions from the combustion of the fuel used in the equipment.
• Emissions from landfills. Waste in landfills decomposes and produces methane, a GHG that is 21 times as potent as CO2.
The Plan shall calculates (using EPA or similar models), and totals GHG emissions of baseline and alternative waste management practices—source reduction, recycling, combustion, composting, and landfill activities. This activity calculates emissions in metric tons of carbon equivalent (MTCE), metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E), and energy units (million BTU) across a wide range of material types commonly found in municipal solid waste (MSW).
The plan shall utilize calculations to estimate the benefits of alternative recycled content purchasing decisions, and calculates the benefits of alternative end-of-life waste management decisions. The calculations support the benefits of an alternative scenario versus a business-as-usual scenario.

7.5. Water/Wastewater

Drinking water and wastewater systems account for approximately 3-4 percent of energy use in the United States, resulting in the emissions of more than 45 million tons of greenhouse gases annually.
For many local governments, drinking water and wastewater plants are one of the largest energy consumers, accounting for 30-40 percent of total energy consumed. Because these services are so energy intensive, they provide an excellent opportunity for efficiency, savings, and reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Improved energy efficiency is also an important component of a utility's overall management and will help ensure the long-term sustainability of our Nation's water and wastewater infrastructure.
The Plan shall identify the following:
• Determine Baseline Energy Use
• Cut Energy Use and Costs
• Renewable Energy Options
The first step to improving energy usage is to understand current energy use patterns. Resources for benchmarking current use can show where efficiency opportunities lie. Benchmarking and audits at water utilities can also be part of broader climate change mitigation and clean energy efforts at the local government level.
The Plan shall recommend energy efficiency strategies to reduce energy use, energy costs, and GHG emissions at water and wastewater treatment facilities. The strategies will help water utilities manage energy and develop an effective energy management program, including conducting an energy audit.
Renewable Energy Options shall be evaluated for Water and wastewater utilities for power generation, and reduction of GHGs.
The Plan shall provide strategies to link water and wastewater energy efficiency plan to Regional and Local Watershed Planning to insure achieving comprehensive and complete planning and vision in both water and energy matters.

7.6. Heat Island-Green Space:

Heat islands can affect communities by increasing summertime peak energy demand, air conditioning costs, air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, heat-related illness and mortality, and water quality.
The Plan will provide strategies to reduce urban heat islands, save energy, and achieve multiple benefits using key mitigation strategies including:
• Increasing tree and vegetative cover
• Installing green roofs (also called "rooftop gardens" or "eco-roofs")
• Installing cool–mainly reflective–roofs
• Using cool pavements
The Action Plan shall recommend employing these strategies in combination to enhance their effectiveness. For example, installing a permeable pavement parking lot that includes shade trees can extend the longevity of the pavement and vegetation.

7.7. Renewable Energy

The most common renewable power technologies include at a minimum:
• Solar (photovoltaic, solar thermal)
• Wind
• Biogas (e.g., landfill gas/wastewater treatment digester gas)
• Geothermal
• Biomass
• Low-impact hydroelectricity
• Emerging technologies - wave and tidal power
The Plan shall evaluate the feasibility of renewable energy based on the availability and economics of these sources.
Local governments can lead by example by generating energy on–site, purchasing green power, or purchasing renewable energy. Using a combination of renewable energy options can help meet local government goals where availability and quality of renewable resources vary.
The Plan shall evaluate renewable energy options and make strategic recommendation:
• Generating renewable energy on-site using a system or device at the location where the power is used (e.g., PV panels on a state building, geothermal heat pumps, biomass-fueled combined heat and power).
• Purchasing green power through renewable energy certificates (RECs) - also known as green tags, green energy certificates, or tradable renewable certificates – that represent the technology and environmental attributes of electricity generated from renewable resources.
• Purchasing renewable energy from an electric utility through a green pricing or green marketing program, where buyers pay a small premium in exchange for electricity generated locally from green power resources.

7.7.1. Benefits of Renewable Energy

Environmental and economic benefits of using renewable energy include:
• Generating energy that produces no anthropogenic GHG emissions and reduces some types of air pollution
• Diversifying energy supply and reducing dependence on imported fuels
• Creating economic development and jobs in manufacturing, installation, and more

7.7.2. Implementing On-site Renewable Energy Projects

On-site power generation provides local governments with the most direct access to renewable energy. In addition to the overall benefits, on-site projects also provide a hedge against financial risks and improve power quality and supply reliability.
However, local governments considering on-site generation may face possible technical, financial, and regulatory challenges. To overcome these challenges, the Plan shall:
• Assess the availability of local renewable resources
• Consider the costs of different renewable technologies
• Examine the aggregate costs and benefits of on-site green power
• Consider permitting requirements for locations where the facility could be sited
• Involve local stakeholders, particularly concerning facility type and location
• Assess available sources of financing and other incentives

7.8. Work Force Development, Education, and Outreach

The Plan shall provide steps to assess, develop, and create jobs:
• What are Clean Energy Jobs?
• How Does a Local Government Develop a Clean Energy Workforce?
• What Certifications are used?
Green Jobs: Many organizations have put forth different definitions of green jobs. The following definition is provided by the White House Middle Class Task Force:
“Green jobs are jobs that provide products and services which use renewable energy resources, reduce pollution, conserve energy and natural resources, and reconstitute waste.”
Clean energy jobs: are a subset of green jobs—those related to energy efficiency, renewable energy, and clean combined heat and power (CHP). Examples of clean energy jobs can include:
• Energy auditors
• Insulation and weatherization technicians
• HVAC technicians and installers
• Wind energy technicians
• Solar photovoltaic or solar water heating installers
• Manufacturers, distributors, and salespeople of energy efficient products
• State energy office staff

7.8.1. Clean Energy Workforce Development:

The Plan shall provide steps aimed at developing a clean energy workforce to meet local demand for qualified workers to match the supply of open jobs. Guidelines for developing an effective clean energy workforce include the following:
1. Promote clean energy policies, which are needed to develop and expand the market for services and businesses, and therefore jobs.
• Energy efficiency targets and programs, such as energy savings goals for educational institutions, lead by example measures for government buildings, and weatherization programs can spur the market for clean energy businesses.
• Renewable energy targets and programs, such as renewable energy targets, green power purchasing goals, and on-site generation incentives (e.g., solar photovoltaic) can spur the market for clean energy businesses.
2. Identify current and future projections of business and labor market status to determine gaps.
• Leverage U.S. Department of Labor statistics related to industry and labor market data, and competency models to understand the skills needed to work in various sectors.
• Contact your local department of labor to determine if projections exist for the area.
• Convene local industry meetings to identify specific skill gaps in the region and employment base.
3. Facilitate partnerships across workforce development entities.
• Leverage potential partners that already exist, such as career centers, community colleges, vocational high schools, workforce investment boards, chambers of commerce, mayors’ offices, local unions, and related NGOs. State and local agencies (departments of labor, energy offices, commerce/economic development offices) will be helpful, as well.
• Create sector-based collaboration to identify what efforts are needed in a specific target sector to train and employ workers.

7.9. Education and Outreach:

The Plan shall recommend strategies for developing clean energy workforce development programs include:
• Working with established universities, community colleges, and vocational/technical high schools to integrate clean energy workforce training into existing curricula and programs.
• Engaging employers, job seekers, and job trainers in the development of workforce programs that will prepare workers for emerging green jobs related to sustainability, natural resource conservation, and environmental technology.
• Tailoring programs for low-income workers (e.g., Pathways out of Poverty).

7.10. Economics, Health, and Air Quality

Energy and sustainability assessments will better prepare the nation and local government and adapt/respond to stresses on water resources in the form of droughts and floods, changes in agricultural and livestock production, sea-level rise and storm surge, wildfires, and ecosystem changes, as well as health impacts related to heat stress, diseases, extreme weather events, and poor air quality.

Economics and Return on Investment (ROI):

The potential exists for economic benefits from energy and sustainability planning as some sectors experience gains. The Plan will assess the cost and benefits and estimate the return on investments for wide range of projects and programs, using comparison and alternative solutions, incentives, and funding opportunities to best address the economics of the addressing the strategic needs.

7.11. Sustainable Food, Material and Purchasing